Unlike many major wine regions of the world, Washington has refused over the years to settle on one particular grape or style. While Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, and other varieties have all made their mark – and will continue to - increasingly it seems like Washington is becoming the ‘Home of the Blend.’

As I wrote in this month’s Seattle Metropolitan magazine, red blends from Washington have been on the rise. This phenomenon first came to my attention a couple years back when I was in a tasting room and asked a consumer what type of wines they liked. “I like blends!” the person said eagerly. I wondered what she meant.Almost all wines are blends in some way, a blend of grapes or a blend of vineyards or a blend of blocks within a vineyard. Even varietally labeled wines only need to be 75% of the variety listed, so many of these wines are blends too. So this consumer distinguishing “blends” as a category seemed interesting to me. However, on that very same weekend, I asked another consumer what type of wines they liked. “I like blends!” the person replied. Hmm….

Indeed, blends are big with consumers right now, and Washington is poised to cash in. This is a category that Washington does extremely well as evidenced by the reviews below. The increased interest in blends is already starting to pay dividends locally, with the ratings group Nielsen finding that sales by volume of Washington red blends were up 26% in the last twelve months. There’s even an annual BLEND event in Seattle in the fall that focuses on the category.

What do Washington blends look like? While the state’s winemakers create both red and white blends, I’ll focus on the reds here since they are more common.

At present, Bordeaux-style blends – wines made from some combination of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot – dominate the blended wine landscape here. In a distinctly Washington trend, winemakers sometimes include a lesser or greater amount of Syrah in these blends as well.

However, Southern Rhone-style blends – currently made predominantly from a combination of Syrah, Grenache, and Mourvedre although other varieties are starting to creep in as well as plantings diversify - have become increasingly common in recent years. Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon blends are also popular. However, Washington winemakers can (and do) make blended wines from just about every grape grown in the state.

The rise of blends in Washington is not without potential problems. Most blends are labeled‘Red Wine,’ ‘Red Blend,’ or are given proprietary names, which don’t lend themselves to easy consumer understanding. Terms like ‘Bordeaux-style blend’ and ‘Rhone-style blend’ are trade terms that mean little to many consumers. Many times the particular blend is, unfortunately, not listed on the front or back label. To make matters more confusing, at the lower end of the price spectrum, many red blends fall into the cheap and cheerful category leading some to think that ‘red blend’ and ‘red wine’ are terms for lesser quality.

However, at least here in Washington, consumers seem to have overcome these issues by branding the wines themselves - “I like blends!” Indeed they do, and each year these wines seem to become more and more common. This should only accelerate as plantings of all sorts of grapes increase around the state giving winemakers a more diverse palette to choose from.

With the increase in consumer recognition, are blends a category that Washington can use to help establish a broader identity? Only time will tell, but the quality is there.

Below is a list of blended wines not previously reviewed here by category. For others, check out the Tasting Note Database (labeled as Bordeaux-style Blend and Red Blend under “Type.”)

Fall Line Winery Red Wine Artz Vineyard Red Mountain 2009 $28(Exceptional)This is the first of three high quality, single vineyard offerings reviewed here from the 2009 vintage from Fall Line Winery, all of which are also extremely well priced. This wine is locked up tightly at present with tar, floral notes, and mineral notes. On the palate, a beautifully restrained, structured wine with light fruit flavors and a firm scaffolding of tannins. This wine will age gracefully in the cellar for many years to come. 41% Cabernet Franc, 35% Merlot, and 24% Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged 18 months in French oak (32% new). 364 cases produced.

Soos Creek Champoux Vineyard Red Wine Horse Heaven Hills 2009 $38(Exceptional) Fruit from Champoux vineyard rarely makes it into wines at this tariff and this wine drinks like a considerably more expensive bottle. This is an aromatic wine full of floral notes, herbal notes, rose hips, and currant. The palate has soft fruit flavors and a firm structure. Draws out on the finish. Give two-plus years. 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Cabernet Franc. 14.1% alcohol.

Buty 64% Merlot/ 36% Cabernet Franc Columbia Valley 2009 $40(Excellent)A full 90% of the fruit for this wine comes from Conner Lee Vineyard with the rest coming from Champoux. An aromatically expressive wine with mineral, floral notes, raspberries, and rose hips. The palate is on the lighter side of medium bodied with light fruit flavors and well integrated tannins. Aged in French oak (60% new). 14.1% alcohol. 383 cases produced.

Waters Winery Tremelo Red Wine Walla Walla Valley 2010 $40(Excellent) Labeled as a red wine, this could just as easily be labeled Syrah with just 8% Grenache from Old Stones Vineyard added to the blend. Fans of Waters’ Forgotten Hills Vineyard-designated Syrah – not made in 2010 - will see hallmarks of this vineyard here on a brightly aromatic wine with pepper, earthy funk, spice, ash, and mineral notes. The palate is on the lighter side of medium bodied with soft, tart red fruit and savory flavors. 92% Syrah, 8% Grenache. Aged in neutral French oak.

Please note, my rating system was revised at the beginning of 2012 as follows. Read additional details here.(Exceptional)(Excellent)(Good)(Decent)(Not recommended/Flawed)

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